CHICOPEE - While the top three seeds in the Western Massachusetts Division II girls high school volleyball tournament traveled fairly easy roads to the semifinals, the match to determine the fourth spot was hotly contested.

The quarterfinal between No. 4 and No. 5 seeds – who won their respective leagues – lived up to its pre-tournament status as a potential barnburner.

Chicopee Comprehensive, champions of the West Division, fended off a challenge from Ludlow, which captured the Central Division title, on Tuesday. Led by 13 kills, 16 digs and six aces from Starr Ripley, the host Colts took a 25-23, 19-25, 25-22, 25-21 victory Tuesday.

Although No. 4 Comp moves on to the semifinals, No. 5 Ludlow left quite an impression as a team on the rise.

“I expected that Ludlow was going to come in here and play like they did,” Comp coach Al Dobson said. “I tried to convince the girls what was going to happen. I don’t think they were completely convinced about the strength of Ludlow, based on their schedule, but I knew better than that.”

The Colts (14-5) will take on top-seeded Minnechaug Regional (17-2) in a semifinal at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in Wilbraham.

Ludlow (18-2) trailed 16-11 in the first set before clawing back to take the lead. Facing a 23-22 deficit, Comp rattled off the final three points, punctuated by a Megan Hall block, to win the set.

Proving they could hang with the Colts, the Lions took the lead at 5-4 in the second set and did not trail the rest of the way. That momentum continued all the way into the next set, as Ludlow had Comp on the ropes at 19-16.

However, Corinne LaRochelle served three straight aces (among her six in the match) to give Comp a 22-20 lead. The Colts took a 2-1 lead when Ashleigh Clark’s spike brought the set to a close.

Comp sprinted out to a 16-9 edge in the fourth set before Ludlow closed the gap to as close as 21-19. Just as she did in the third set, Clark put the match away with a spike – the last of her match-high 14 kills.

“As we got toward the last game and a half, we really started turning it on and playing good volleyball,” Dobson said. “Consistency in serving, beginning to put balls away and swing away instead of getting free balls over the net.”

Alyssa Guyon paced Ludlow with 11 kills and six blocks. She is one of three starters who will return next season. Senior middle blocker Ava Adamopoulos registered nine kills and seven blocks, and Makayla Reynolds distributed 23 assists.